Holder and key assembly



July 21, 1970 D. GRUBER ET AL HOLDER AND KEY ASSEMBLY 2'Shee-tsSheet 2 Filed 06%. 25. 1968 2 Q mg E NZ m wow m m m.

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United States Patent 01 iice 3,521,329 Patented July 21, 1970 3,521,329 HOLDER AND KEY ASSEMBLY David Gruber, Rego Park, and Gustav Greenfield, Bronx, NY. (both of 13 E. 37th St., New York, NY. 10016) Filed Oct. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 770,700 Int. Cl. A41d 25/04 US. Cl. 24-49 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder and key assembly suitable for use as a money clip or tie holder include an interchangeable key blank having a forwardly extending shank for insertion into the chamber of an open ended bar. An end cap provided with a laterally extending channel and a notch positioned substantially at the head of the channel is adapted to fit snugly over the rear of the key blank. A locking plate is carried by the front panel of the bar and extends beyond the open end. The locking plate is provided with an inwardly protruding detent so that when the holder and key are assembled, the detent first engages the channel of the end cap and then engages the notch. By applying a slight outward pressure on the end cap, the key can be retrieved from the bar for use. This assembly permits the wearer to carry a key on his person in a recessed, convenient, out of sight position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a money clip or tie holder and key assembly to serve the wearer as a convenient means for carrying a personal key and, more particularly, to an assembly in which the key is carried in a recessed, out of sight position within the tie or money bar.

A busy man is apt to forget to carry on his person small inconspicuous objects such as keys and the like, sometimes with unfortunate and frustrating results. Heretofore, keys have been combined with various jewelry, such as tie holders, but the key was visible and generally required the tie holder to be removed and the key moved into position before it could be used to open a lock. Moreover, where the key could be removed, it was often difficult to retrieve the key from the holder, or move it into position, and then replace the key securely.

Although many attempts have been made to overcome the foregoing and other difiiculties, none, as far as we are aware, was entirely satisfactory when carried into practice commercially.

BRIEF SUMMARY We have now developed an apparatus suitable for use as a money holder or tie clip, tie holder and the like, which is provided with a means for storing a key for the convenience of the wearer for use when conventional keys have been lost or are otherwise unavailable. The present invention provides a means by which a small key, such for example, as a house or car key, may be conveniently carried out of sight by the wearer of the money clip or tie holder and yet still maintained on his person. By a simple operation, the key may be easily retrieved for use when the wearers normal set of keys are unavailable due to loss or oversight or through preference for carrying the key in this position. Moreover, additional keys may be made which are interchangeable thus permitting the wearer to include in the assembly, for example, a car key, house key, etc., depending on the occasion. The following description of the holder and key assembly is for the most part directed specifically to use as a tie holder. It is to be understood however that the holder and key assembly may be used for other purposes such, for example, as a money clip and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a convenient storage place for a key which is apt to become lost or forgotten by the wearer and from which the key may be easily retrieved.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tie holder and key assembly in which the key may be inserted into the tie holder and releaseably secured therein by simple, economical and expedient means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple means by which a key can be secured in a recessed, out of sight position within a tie holder until removed by the wearer.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a simple means by which a key can be secured in a recessed, out of sight position within a money clip until removed by the wearer.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tie holder and key in assembled relationship;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the tie holder, key blank and end cap;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the holder and key assembly employed as a tie holder; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the holder and key assembly employed as a money clip or holder.

The tie holder and key assembly in accordance with this invention includes a tie bar open at least at one end and having a chamber extending therethrough. The tie bar is also provided with a front panel and rear tieengaging panel which extends across the front of a tie. A rearwardly positioned gripping member is joined to the rear panel and is adapted to compressively engage the tie and wearers shirt hem therebetween to maintain the tie in position. A key blank (which can be formed into a key) has a forwardly extending shank adapted to be slidably received in the chamber of the tie bar. On the end opposite to the shank is positioned an end cap having a front section and internally positioned means for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank. The end cap can be gripped by the wearer of the tie bar to permit the key blank to be removed from the chamber of the tie bar when desired for use. The front section of the end cap has a laterally extending channel and a notch positioned substantially at the head of the channel. A locking plate is fastened to the front panel and extends laterally beyond the open end of the tie bar. A detent protrudes from the laterally extending portion of the locking plate and is adapted to first engage the cap channel when the shank of the key blank is slidably received in the hollow tie bar and thereafter to engage the notch to releaseably secure the key blank within the tie bar. This assembly thus provides a recessed and convenient means for permitting the key blank to be carried out of sight by the wearer of the tie holder.

PREP-ERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, the fully assembled tie (or money) bar, key and end cap are shown at 10. Tie (or money) bar 20 is open at one end 15 and has a chamber 27 extending therethrough. Also included is a front panel 11 and a rear money or tie engaging panel 12 which are adapted to extend across the front of a tie (or across folded bills). Gripping member 13 is positioned to the rear of tie bar 20 and is provided with a reverse bend section 14 which is joined to rear panel 12 to permit the 3 tie and thewearers shirt hem to be compressively engaged between the rear panel and the gripping member.

An interchangeable key blank 30 includes a rear base 16 and a forwardly extending shank 17 which is adapted to be slidably received in chamber 27 of tie bar 20 by insertion through open end 15. Hollow end cap 40 has a front section 19 and internally positioned means consisting of a U-shaped member having legs 24 and 26. The distance between legs 24 and 26 is slightly less than the thickness of key blank so that when end cap 40 is inserted over key blank 30 and aperture 18, legs 24 and 26 form a spring or press fit to releaseably secure end cap 40 over the rear of key blank 30. Front section 19 of end cap 40 has a laterally extending channel 21 along the direction in which shank 17 is slidably received through open end 15 of the tie (or money) bar. Notch 22 is positioned substantially at the head of channel 21. Locking plate 23 is suitably fastened on front panel 11, such as by welding, brazing, soldering, mechanical fastening or other equivalent means, and extends laterally beyond open end 15. A detent 28 protrudes inwardly from the lateral extension of locking plate 23 and is adapted to first engage end cap channel 21 and, as key blank 30 is slidably inserted into tie (or money) bar 20, then to engage notch 22 positioned at the head of channel 21. This engagement permits the key blank to be releaseably secured in the chamber of the tie (or money) bar and thus serves as a readily adaptable means for removing the key blank for use when needed. To remove key blank 30 from tie (or money) bar 20, the wearer merely has to apply a slight outward pressure to disengage detent 28 from notch 22. In so removing key blank 30, endcap 40 remains securely fastened to the rear base 16 of the key blank. The wearer of the tie bar can thus grip end cap 40 to remove key blank 30 from the tie bar. The key is then free for use by the wearer.

End cap 40 is slidably received over rear base 16 of key blank 30 and leg members 24 and 26 grippingly engage rear base 16 to permit the end cap to be releaseably secured or fastened to the key blank.

Locking plate 23 need not be diamond-shaped as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 but can be of any geometrical configuration which overlaps open end 15 of tie bar 20. A pleasing design or the wearers initials, for example, may be inscribed on the locking plate. As a convenience to the wearer, rear base 16 of key blank 30 may be provided with an opening, such as aperture 18 shown in FIG. 2, to permit the key to be held one ring or otherwise when not inserted in the tie bar. In addition, most coventional keys can have the head cut by a locksmith to the proper size to accommodate end cap 40.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the assembled tie bar and key blank in which end cap 40 is snugly fit over rear 16 of key blank 30 and the key blank in turn fully inserted into the hollow tie bar 20. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through end cap 40 showing detent 28 releaseably engaged in notch 22 securing the key blank in the hollow tie bar and legs 24 and 26 in press fit over the rear of the key blank.

FIG. 5 shows the holder and key assembly holding tie 50. FIG. 6 shows the holder and key assembly holding bills of money 60.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tie holder and key assembly which permits a key to be carried in a recessed and out of sight position by the wearer of the tie holder comprises:

a tie bar open at least at one end and having a chamher therein, said tie bar provided with a front panel and a rear tie-engaging panel adapted to extend across the front of a tie;

a gripping member joined to the tie bar and adapted to permit the tie and the wearers shirt hem to be compressively engaged between the rear panel of the tie bar and the gripping member to hold the tie in place;

an interchangeable key blank provided with a forwardly extending shank adapted to be slidably received in the chamber of the tie bar;

an end cap including a front section and means positioned internally of the cap for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank, said end cap being adaptable to permit the wearer to grip the cap when removing the key blank from the chamber of the tie bar, said front section of the end cap having a laterally extending channel and a notch positioned substantially at the head of the channel;

a locking plate fastened to the front panel of the tie bar and extending laterally beyond the open end of the tie bar; and

a detent protruding inwardly from the lateral extension of the locking plate and adapted to first engage the end cap channel when the shank of the key blank is slidably received in the chamber of the tie bar and then engage the notch when the key blank and tie bar are assembled to permit the key blank to be releaseably secured within the chamber of the tie bar.

2. A tie holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank comprises a U-shaped member which grippingly engages the key blank.

3. A tie holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein the gripping member is positioned rearwardly of the tie bar and is provided with a reverse bend section joined to the rear panel of the tie bar.

4. A tie holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein the locking plate is diamond-shaped.

5. A tie holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein the detent is positioned on a corner of the diamond-shaped locking plate.

6. A tie holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein the rear of the key blank is provided with an aperture.

7. A holder and key assembly which permits a key to be carried in a recessed and out of sight position by the user of the holder comprises:

a bar open at least at one end and having a chamber therein, said bar provided with front and rear panels;

a gripping member joined to the bar and adapted to permit an object to be compressively engaged between the rear panel of the bar and the gripping member;

an interchangeable key blank provided with a forwardly extending shank adapted to be slidably received in the chamber of the bar;

an end cap including a front section and means positioned internally of the cap for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank, said key blank being adaptable to permit the user to grip the cap when removing the key blank from the chamber of the bar, said front section of the end cap having a laterally extending channel and a notch positioned substantially at the head of the channel;

a locking plate fastened to the front panel of the bar and extending laterally beyond the open end of the bar; and

a detent protruding inwardly from the lateral extension of the locking plate and adapted to first engage the end cap channel when the shank of the key blank is slidably received in the chamber of the bar and then engage the notch when the key blank and bar are assembled to permit the key blank to be releaseably secured within the chamber of the bar.

8. A money holder and key assembly which permits a key to be carried in a recessed and out of sight position by the user of the money holder comprises:

a money bar open at least at one end and having a chamber therein, said money bar provided with a front panel and a rear money-engaging panel;

a gripping member joined to the money bar and adapted to permit the money to be compressively engaged between the rear panel of the money bar and the gripping members to substantially hold the money in place;

an interchangeable key blank provided with a forwardly extending shank adapted to be slidably received in the chamber of the money bar;

an end cap including a front section and means positioned internally of the cap for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank, said end cap being adaptable to permit the user to grip the cap when removing the key from the chamber of the money bar, said front section of the end cap having a laterally extending channel and a notch positioned substantially at the head of the channel;

a locking plate fastened to the front panel of the money .bar and extending laterally beyond the open end of the money bar; and

a detent protruding inwardly from the lateral extension of the locking plate and adapted to first engage the end cap channel when the shank of the key blank is slidably received in the chamber of the money bar and then engage the notch when the key blank and money bar are assembled to permit the key blank to be releasably secured within the chamber of the money bars.

9. A money holder and key asembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein the means for securing the cap to the rear of the key blank comprises a U-shaped member which grippingly engages the key blank.

10. A money holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein the gripping member positioned rearwardly of the money bar is provided with a reverse bend section joined to the rear panel of the money bar.

11. A money holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein the locking plate is diamondshaped.

12. A money holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein the detent is positioned on a corner of the diamond-shaped locking plate.

13. A money holder and key assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein the rear of the key blank is provided with an aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,849 9/ 1905 Henerlau 24-230 2,009,244 7/ 1935 Woodward 24-230 2,357,919 9/ 1944 Weiss 24-49 X 2,655,751 10/1953 Baroody 24-49 3,267,536 8/1966 Brown et a1. 24-49 3,434,414 3/ 1969 Wright 24-49 DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner Us. 01. X.R. 24-230 

